The National Climate Initiative (NKI) of the Federal Ministry for Environment (BMUB) (https://www.klimaschutz.de/de) aims to contribute to the achievement of the national climate targets by implementing specific programs and by supporting the market up-take of innovative energy technologies and activities. It addresses consumers, business, municipalities and educational institutions. Funding is provided for different directives and programs and for a variety of individual projects.

The effectiveness of the Climate Initiative is evaluated by a team of 5 research institutes coordinated by Öko-Institut. They assess to which extent the projects and programs contribute to a decrease of greenhouse gas emissions and smooth the progress of future reductions. Additionally, the evaluation also assesses possible economic and structural effects of the initiative (e.g. impacts on employment, regional coverage, investments, etc.).

The Environmental Policy Research Centre - FFU is involved in in the provision of advisory services and in the evaluation of the following aspects, that with regard to the optimization of the NKI are closely interlinked:

• Evaluation of the funded projects and programs (mainly ex-post)

• Monitoring and adaptation of existing support programs,

• Further development of the NKI.

Within the consortium, FFU (being involved in all work packages) is mainly responsible for the development of the evaluation methodology and for the evaluation of the so-called "support of individual projects". Moreover it is responsible for the assessment of the overall strategy process of the NKI and is involved in formulating strategic advice on the further development of the NKI.